GH¢20.49bn In Financial Irregularities Raises Fresh Questions Over Ghana’s Public Finances

Ghana’s public finances are facing fresh scrutiny after a new report revealed that GH¢20.49 billion in financial irregularities was recorded across public institutions.

The figure comes from the 2025 State of Corruption Report by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), which examines Ghana’s efforts to fight corruption and strengthen accountability.

The report points to persistent weaknesses in the way public funds are managed, with problems ranging from procurement and cash management to outstanding debts, payroll, taxes and contracts.

For many Ghanaians, however, the biggest question is simple: how can such large amounts continue to appear in public financial records year after year?

Public boards account for the biggest share

Public boards, corporations and other statutory institutions recorded the largest portion of the irregularities.

According to the report, irregularities in that category increased sharply from about GH¢8.8 billion in 2023 to GH¢18.4 billion in 2024.

The GACC says the increase raises concerns about the effectiveness of internal controls and expenditure management within public institutions.

The problems identified include outstanding debtors and recoverable loans, cash irregularities, procurement issues, tax irregularities, stores management and contract-related breaches.

MDAs also recorded billions in irregularities

Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) recorded approximately GH¢2.1 billion in financial irregularities.

That represented a decline of 14.6 per cent from the previous year, but the report says several areas continued to show worrying increases.

These included cash management, outstanding debts and recoverable loans, payroll, procurement and rent-related irregularities.

At the level of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, the report recorded about GH¢18.9 million in financial irregularities.

Although the overall figure declined, increases were recorded in areas including payroll, taxation, asset management and stores.

There is some good news

The report does not paint an entirely negative picture.

Ghana’s accountability institutions recorded a number of interventions during 2025.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) initiated 71 investigations and secured seven convictions during the year.

The OSP also reported savings of approximately GH¢5.73 billion, alongside recoveries of GH¢6.5 million and US$2 million. Assets valued at more than GH¢102 million were also seized.

The Ghana Audit Service also recovered about GH¢10 million from unearned salaries, allowances and other irregular payments identified through a nationwide payroll audit.

The audit involved 2,408 separated staff and identified approximately GH¢150.36 million in such irregularities.

A further GH¢14.95 million was recovered through routine audits.

The bigger concern is what happens next

For the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, the issue goes beyond the size of the figures.

The report argues that the recurring nature of many of these irregularities suggests that existing internal controls can still be bypassed without enough consequences.

Ghana already has several institutions responsible for auditing public finances, investigating suspected wrongdoing and enforcing accountability. The challenge, according to the report, is ensuring that those institutions have the resources, independence and enforcement mechanisms needed to make their work count.

GACC Executive Secretary Beauty Emefa Narteh has called on government institutions, accountability agencies, civil society organisations, the private sector, the media and citizens to study the findings and turn the recommendations into practical action.

She stressed that the report should not simply become another document that is launched, discussed and eventually forgotten.

Why the figures matter to ordinary Ghanaians

Financial irregularities in government records can sound like a technical issue reserved for auditors and accountants.

But the consequences can be much more direct.

Money that is tied up in unrecovered debts, questionable expenditure, procurement problems or other financial breaches is money that could otherwise support public services and development projects.

That is why the GH¢20.49 billion figure has attracted attention.

It is not, by itself, a declaration that GH¢20.49 billion was stolen. Financial irregularities cover different types of breaches and weaknesses identified through public financial audits.

The real concern is whether those irregularities are corrected, whether money that can be recovered is recovered, and whether institutions responsible are held accountable when the law has been breached.

Ghana’s accountability test

The latest report comes at a time when Ghana is under pressure to make better use of limited public resources.

The GACC is calling for stronger enforcement, faster reforms, sustainable funding for accountability institutions, improved internal controls and closer cooperation between state institutions and civil society.

Ultimately, the issue is not only about the GH¢20.49 billion recorded in the report.

It is about whether Ghana can build a public financial system where the same problems do not keep appearing in successive audit reports.

For taxpayers, that may be the most important measure of all.

Global Pulse GH will continue to follow developments in Ghana’s public finance and accountability sector.

Source: Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition / Ghana Audit Service reports